Dorcas Chu on the ball, 23 June 2022

 

SINGAPORE, 23 JUNE 2022 – The Singapore Women’s National Team endured a tough night against Hong Kong on Thursday as they went down 4-0 in the first of two international friendly matches with them.

 

Ranked 78^th in the world, Hong Kong showed their mettle against the 132^nd-ranked Lionesses at Jalan Besar Stadium as forward Lau Yun Yi grabbed a swift first-half brace in the 12^th and 13^th minutes before scoring twice more after the break through captain Chan Wing Sze and substitute Leung Hong Kiu Anke in the 53^rd and 89^th minutes.

 

 

At the other end, half-time substitute Izzati Rosni forced goalkeeper Ng Cheuk Wai into a good save while Dorcas Chu smashed a 20-yard effort over after a flowing team move late on.

 

Head coach Stephen Ng reflected: “We were able to compete in different parts of the games, (except) the scoreline. Hong Kong is a quality side and we have to respect that. This is a very good learning experience for us and it helps us greatly in terms of preparation for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Championship.”

 

Lila Tan plays the ball, 23 June 2022

 

He added that the team will “play differently” in the second encounter with the same opponents on Sunday. “We saved some legs for (the next match) and will do a squad rotation, to prepare for the AFF Championship where we will have five games in 10 days,” he said.

 

Ng took the opportunity to hand four players their international debuts: goalkeeper Nurul Haziqah Haszwan, defender Irsalina Irwan, and forwards Summer Chong and Claire Tay. Irsalina, who is also a member of the Women’s Under-16 and Under-19 National Teams, became the sixth-youngest debutant for Singapore at 15 years and 173 days.

 

Ernie Sulastri, 23 June 2022

 

Defender Dhaniyah Qasimah, Singapore’s third-youngest debutant at 14 years and 331 days when she made her international bow, was happy to see her teammates make the step up.

 

“This was a great opportunity for them to get important minutes in and play against a formidable opponent,” she told FAS.org.sg. “As a young player myself, I know how vital it is for our improvement and it will only get better from here for them.”

 

Ng concurred: “I gave the four players their debuts because it is good for their development and good for us as a national team because we want more exposure and we want more players to have this experience playing at this intensity.”

 

Singapore: Noor Kusumawati (GK) (Nurul Haziqah Haszwan 88’), Nurhidayu Naszri, Stephanie Dominguez, Fatin Ridzwan (Umairah Hamdan 46’), Farhanah Ruhaizat (Nadhra Aqilah 77’), Dhaniyah Qasimah, Putri Syaliza (Irsalina Irwan 77’), Ernie Sulastri, Lila Tan (Claire Tay 88’), Summer Chong (Izzati Rosni 46’), Dorcas Chu.
Unused subs: Beatrice Tan, Nur Syazwani Ruzi, Danelle Tan, Mastura Jeilani, Venetia Lim, Nur Afiqah Omar.

 

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